LNER Class A4
Sir Nigel Gresley introduced the famous LNER Class A4 locomotives in 1935 to pull a new train called the Silver Jubilee, between London King's Cross and Newcastle, in celebration of King George V's 25th year of reign.
The A4 pacifics (with the 4–6–2 wheel arrangement) were designed for low consumption of coal and water on all kinds of services; passenger and freight. With the introduction of the double-exhaust Kylchap blastpipe, the consumption levels of the above dropped even more, gaining more revenue to their operators.
On July 3 1938 the Mallard, newly fitted with the Kylchap exhaust, set a world speed record of 125 mph (201.2 km/h), pulling six cars plus a dynamometer car. Although the dynamometer car indicated a top speed of 126 mph (202.8 km/h), Sir Nigel Gresley never accepted this speed as the record-breaking maximum. He claimed this speed could only have been attained over a few yards (metres). He was comfortable that the German speed record of 124.5 mph (200.4 km/h) had been surpassed.
The Class A4 locomotives were known to train spotters as "streaks".
A4s in preservation
More A4s have survived in preservation than any other LNER class.
| Exibition loco | Undergoing refurbishment | In use |
| Numbers | Name | Current Location | Condition | |
| Original | BR | |||
| 4464 | 60019 | Bittern | Mid Hants Watercress Railway | Undergoing refurbishment to mainline condition |
| 4468 | 60022 | Mallard | National Railway Museum, York | Believed to be in working order, but with expired boiler certificate; Static display |
| 4488 | 60009 | Union of South Africa | Severn Valley Railway | Full working order, mainline certificate |
| 4489 | 60010 | Dominion of Canada | Canadian Railway Museum | Static display |
| 4496 | 60008 | Dwight D Eisenhower | National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin | Static display |
| 4498 | 60007 | Sir Nigel Gresley | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Undergoing refurbishment to mainline condition |
External link
- LNER Encyclopedia Page covering the history and development of the LNER A4 Pacifics
- Detailed list of the names, numbers and production dates of LNER A4 locomotives
| Locomotives of the London and North Eastern Railway | |
| LNER Designs | |
| Gresley: | A3 – A4 – B17 -D49 – J38 – J39 – K4 – P1 – P2 – U1 – V1 – V2 – V3 – V4 – W1 |
| Thompson: | A2 – B1 – B2 – K5 – L1 – O1 – Q1 |
| Peppercorn: | A1 – A2 – K1 |